Torsional vibration indicator and recorder



Aug. 7, 1928. 1,679,995

I C. E. SUMMERS TORSIONAL VIBRATION INDICATOR AND RECORDER Filed Jan. 21, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 C. E. SUMMERS TORSIONAL VIBRATION INDICATOR AND RECORDER Filed Jan. 21, 1925 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 7, 192 8. 7 1,679,995

c. E. SUMMERS TORSIONAL VIBRATION INDICATOR AND RECORDER Filed Jan. 21, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 7, 1928.

v shaft to be tested and, having an element, the

UNITED STATES PIA-TENT oFricE.

CORPORATION OF DAYTON, OHIO, A

TORSIONAL VIBRATION INDICATOR AND RECORDER. i

Application filed January '21, 1925. Serial not 3,723.

This invention relates to instruments for detecting torsional vibration in shafts and for indicating and recording their period particularly and amplitude; itis designed to aid in ascertaining facts an to record data with respect tothe torsional vibration of crankshafts of internal combustion engines. I The invention of this apphcation is an improvement upon that disclosed and claimedin U. S. Patent to Caleb E. Summers, dated February 2nd, 1926, No.- 1,571,349, and the improvements articular-1y concern the in strumentality f dr receiving a record of the vibrations indicated by the detecting and in dicating instrument disclosed in that patent.

Inthe accompanying.drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of an instrument for detecting, indicating and recording torsional vibration in the crankshaft;

Fig. 2 is a. front elevation of the instrument shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a record sheet holding device adapted to receive a record of the amplitude and frequency of vibrations indicated by said indicating instrument;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the record sheet receiving device; Fig. 6-is a rear elevation thereof and- Figs. -7 and 8 represent record sheets or cards which have had a record of torsional vibrations made on them by a stylus on the I 19, according to the adjustment 0 sa d indicating and recording instrument. I The torsional vibration detecting, indicating and recording instrument shown in Figs.

1, 2 and.3, comprises: (1 a comparing member partaking of allt e movements of a movementsiof which may be compared with a steadily moving member serving as a standard of comparison, and, (2) a steadily moving member rotating at the average speed of the shaftto be tested, but not partaking of its torsional vibrations, which serves as a standard of'comparison.

The comparing member comprises a split collet 10, a co-axlal forward projecting bearing stud 11, a flat sided shoulder 12, a relatively light disc or other comparing ele- COBPORATION OF DELAWARE.

All parts thus far'mentioned, except the I bushing, are formed of one integral iece or of separate pieces rigidly fastene ltogether. A nut 15 may be screwed upon the end of the split collet to secure the instrument upon the front end of an internal 1 combustion engine crankshaft 'or upon an adapter secured to said shaft.

Mounted upon the bearing bushing 14, so as to be capable of moving angularly with re spect to 1t, is afl -wheel or other inertia mass 16', constituting the member having a comparatively steady rotation, with which the movements of the shaft may be com-. pared.- The flywheel 16 is prevented by any suitable means from moving longitudinally of the bushing, but is free, within limitations, to move angularly with res ect thereto, or to permit the oscillation of t e disk and bushing-carrying member. within the bearing opening of the flywheel. The means where y the disk carrying' member may oscillate, within limits, with respect to the fly- CALEB E. SOMMEBS, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL MOTORS RESEARCH wheel, are shown in Fig. 1.- In this figure,

17 indicates diametrically opposite holes through the web of the flywheel; 18 are pins connected to the disk 13 which. project through said holes. These pins 18 are connected to springs 19, the op osite ends of which are attached to small brill crank levers I 20. Adjusting screws 21, threaded through the rim of the flywheel, bear upon the arms 22 of said ,bell crank levers and serve'to apply greater or lesser tension to the s rings SCI'GWS.

With this construction it will seen that the detecting and indicating instrument may (or the end of an adapter) in the split collet 10 and tightening up the nut 15 while holding the instrument from rotation by a be readily secured uponthe 'endof a crankshaft by. inserting the end of the crankshaft j wrench applied to the flat sides of the shoulv displaced alternately with respect to the flywheel or will oscillate within the flywheel,

the, oscillations-ex ending their force upon the springs 19 w ich substantially absorb them.

The indication of the frequency and. amplitude of the Objectionable torsional vibration, if there is any, will be given by the free end of an indicator arm 23, shown in Figs.

' 2 and 3. This indicator arm consists of two somewhat elastic limbs, 24-and 25, connected 7 at 26, one limb 24 being pivoted to the light disk 13 and the other limb 25 to the flywheel as shown at 27 and 28 respectively. Projecting forward coaxial with the .point 26 is' a stylus 26*. Surrounding the point 26 andstylus, there-is, preferably, a brilliant- I 1y white indicating disc 29, the movements of which the eye can readil follow, as the back ound on the face of t e disk and flywhee is preferably dull black.

. The indicator arm should, preferably, be

' ofsuch length and so disposed that a line drawn from the axis of rotation of theinstrument to the st lus meets the normal line of direction oft e' indicating arm at approximatel though preferably a little less, than a ri tangle, as shown in the drawings', so t at the stylus andindicating disk movein a direction approximatel radial. -Most internal combustion cranksha ts, rotate counterclockwise. The instrument illustrated is designed for detecting torsional vibrations in a counterclockwise rotating shaft. Now. as the centrifugal force acting upon the indicating arm tends to throw the free end outward away from the center, the

pivotal points 27 and 28 thereof have been so placedthat .they are in advance of the stylus, so that. the indicator arm trails, as it were, when theinstrument is rotating normally. Owing to this arrangement'the resistance of the air'ten'ds to-counteract the efiect ofthe centrifugrzl, -force, whereas it has been found that w n the indicator. arm

is oppositely disposed, air pressure is added to centrifugal force, tending to throw the cular zone, owing to persistence of vision... and s y sidera le' torsional vibration in the crankshaft, the relative angular displacements of the comparing disc 13 and the standardflywheel 16, due to these vibrations, will cause.

stylus outward. It will .be apparent that,

if the crankshaft has no torsional vibration, the point 26 and disk 29 will describe a circle'around the 'axis of the instrument and this appear'to the eye as a white cirofrotation.- If there is any conthe stylus 26* and indicating disk 29 to move in andout in directions approximately radial. This will cause theindicating disk 29 to trace a-figure which departs from a circle, inaccordance with the am litude and- .frequency of the vibrations o the shaft. 'The number oflobes of this figure will give mformation as to the frequency of-vibratlon,

acting threaded elements.

and the extent of departure from a circle will give information as to the amplitude of the vibrations. In the instrument shown, the indicating arm is so'proportioned that a ma nification of about 5 to 1 is afforded.

ig. 2 shows two holes diametrically opposed to each other in the disc 13. These holes are. for the purpose of receiving studs 51 which project into them from the wheel 16 and which are surrounded by some yielding material such as rubber or leather. The covered studs serve as limiting buffers to prevent so great anangular displacement between the flywheel and the disk 13 as to throw the pointer excessively outward or inward, as might happen in case of some abnormal condition, such as the en lne HHS- 1ng fire on one or more of the cy inders.

The construction thus far described is substantially disclosed and claimed in said members one of which is a flat disk or plate 30 to which is hinged, at 31, the other member consisting of an open center clamp such as ring 32. Between this clamping ring and the disk or plate 30 a record receiving sheet or card A such as is shown in Figs. 7 and 8, may be clamped. In order to insure against slipping of thaca rd, small points or I bosses 33 are made in the clamping. ring, these bosses bearing upon the paper of the clamping ring and the disk.- In order. to clamp *the ring'32 firmly to the disk so as to hold the record sheet or card, the members are equipped with permanently attached c0- In the embodi: ment illustrated, the ring is provided with record card when it is held'between the a fixed threaded stud 34, while the disk carries swiveled within an outward extending housing 36, a thumb nut 35. The housing 36 has a flange 37 at its outer end adapted to engage with a corresponding flange 38 on the nut. By this means neither the nut nor the stud can be separated from the device. Both .120 I are always in place. ready to be tightened when the clamping ring is closed. The disk or plate 30'is secured to a handle ;39, preferably of wood, by countersunk wood scre'ws 39. his handle has a metallic liner 40 "shouldered. internally at 41 and screw threaded internally at 42. Nicely fitted inside of the liner 40 is'a centering sleeve or tube 43 whichfiares internally at its outer extremity as at 44. The outer end 45 projects slightly beyond the disk 30 and is capahis and facilitates locating the car in place, although no great degree of ac-' ble of adjustment in or. out so as to vary the amount of its projection. Upon the opposite or inner end of the centering tube 43 is a covering plate or head 46. This head is movable within the space between the shoulder 41 and a nut or annular plate 48 held by the thread 42. Between the head 46, which is slightly larger than the centering 'tube,and the shoulder .41, and surrounding the centering tube, is a coil spring 47, which, as will be seen, constantly urges the centering tube toward the extremity of the handle, so as to reduce the extent of projection of the end 45. 'The plate 48 is threaded into the threaded end 42- of the lining 40. This plate is provided with spanner holes so that it maybe adjusted as desired, although it is intended to be screwed in and jammed at the inside end'of the threaded portion. The plate 48 has a central threaded hole engaged by a screw 49 the inside end of which bears normally against the center of head 46 of the centering sleeve.

It will be seen that by adjusting the screw 49 toward disk30, the end of the centering sleeve may be projected farther beyond the surface of the disk 30 and by turning it in an opposite direction, the spring 47 will retract the centering sleeve, .so as to lessen the extent of rojection of said end. The end 45 of centering sleeve is adapted to engage with a central hole B in a record card A,=such as is shown in Fi 7 and 8, accurately flare'44 of the centering sleeve functions as a finder or pilot to facilitate slipping-it over the bearing stud 11.- The projecting end 45 also serves -as a stop to limit the movement of the device holding the record card toward the recording 'stylus of the injusted card'to ap roachthe face of the indicating and recor ing instrumentv more closely, as may be necessary'when the'stylus becomes shortened by wear. The' stop, ofcourse/ instrument. 'The sto may be addicatin by the means describe to allow the further functions to prevent the record card from being pressed so "firmly against the end of the stylus as to 'cut or tear the card.

' or-injure the stylus.

.The'record heet card is made of specially surfaced papier u on which brass will make The stylus is made of brass in order to mark upon the specially prepared paper and, of course, possesses a strongmarking a black mar int notieasil broken.

When t e indicating mstrument has been applied to the en e shaft or to an adapter secured to -the s aft, if the shaft should not be of a diameter suitable to fit nicely within the collet, the engine is started and the white indicating disk 29 is watched.

.When the figure presented to the eye deceivin parts from a circle, as indicated for eiram ple in Fig. 7, it will bev known that the crankshaft harmonizes with. the thrusts given by the connecting rods and that one critical speed has been attained in which disagreeable or harmful vibrationoccurs.

The speed at which this occurs will then. Y may be applied to the instrument by gras be determined and the record receiving card engine has reached a speed where the nat-" ural period of torsional vibration of. the.

ing the handle inthe hand, slipping t e centering sleeve over the bearing stud. 11 and, at the proper instant, pushing the rec:

ord card quickly against the stylus so that.

theoutline-followed by the stylus will reproduced upon the record card and a leoord chart will be, made. The record reinstrument should be held in place only or a very brief period, as during one or two revolutions; From this record lt can be readily calculated at what other speeds' thrustsof the connecting rods so as to impart six cycles .of vibration to each revolution.

were made by a six. cylinder four stroke a 10o The record charts shown'in Figs. 7 and 8 cycle'engine, which, of course, ap lies three firing impulses to-the cranksh at each revolution. The number of loops exten.d'

ing outside of the ideal circle, made'on' the record chart when there is no torsional vibration .will, in the case of a six cylinder engine, be three-or'a multiple ofthree, when ractice y at a torsional vibration is detectsd i the three-looped figure 'occu' s 'usu its speed above the driving rangeiand'the loops of the twelve and fifteen sldedfigrres are :too small to be important; that is, the vibrations recorded are 'ractically negligible." .Thesix and nine sided I i 'Figs. 7 and 8, indicate con remedied'as they occur; within'usual'driving "tions to be speeds.

figureslas shown in j he instrument when'used asldescribed' gives a true reading on the: record chart of the amplitude of torsional vibrations and to be ascertained. The amplitude of the vibrations is in proportion-to the extent of in and out movement of the stylus, represented i'nsthe" figure onv the chart by p the radial distance between two concentric cirthe frequency of the vibrations; it enables the speeds at-which these vibrations occur cles .respectivelytangent to the. gartsof the Cil will be the number of vibration cycles (rep-' figure farthest from and nearest to the center. In practice, as before stated, the

proportion of the angular amplitude shown on the chart to the actual angular amplitude is 5 to 1. The rate of vibrationper second ceases to be av circle and becomes a polyg onal figure having three, six or nine sides or lobes, as indicated on the charts depicted in Figs. 7 ."and 8. A record ma then be traced on the record sheet or car thus obtaining a chart on which the speed may be written,-also the load or other desired data.

The specific details of construction de-' scribed and illustrated may be varied withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. It is not essential for example that the card clamping devices be circular in outline, or that the com arin element 13 be a disk. These-and ot er e ements have beenmade as illustrated for the purpose of embodying the invention in the best form now known, but it is not intended to limit the S00 eofthe invention otherwise than by the de ition of the claims.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A record receiving instrument comprising a plate having an. opening, a handle, a

centering sleeve within the handle havingv an open end projecting through the opening beyond the face of the plate and means for 2. An" instrument of the kind defined in claim 1, combined with a device at the 4. An instrument of the kind defined in claim 1.in combination with a sleeve retracting spring, a nut rigid with the handle and a screw threaded in the nut bearing upon the centering sleeve and adapted to move said sleeve in opposition to the Pros sure of the spring. 7 7

5. A record receiving instrument comprising two members, one of which is a plate having a smooth surface on one side and ahandle projecting from the other side, the other member consisting of on open center clamphinged at the edge of the plate; and means op osite the hinge for clamping said two mem ers with arecord sheet held between them and in contact with the smooth surface of the plate.

In testimony whereof 1 hereto afiix my signature.

CALEB E. SUMMERS.

40 Y holding a record receiving sheet on the plate.

v I 3. An instrument of the kind defined in f l 

